Taxon classification Animalia Siphonaptera Ischnopsyllidae

Araeopsylla martialis (Rothschild, 1903)

Ceratophyllus martialis Rothschild, 1903

Ischnopsyllus martialis Rothschild, 1906: 187-188

Araeopsylla martialis Jordan & Rothschild, 1921: 146; Hopkins and Rothschild 1956: 323-325; Lumaret 1962: 12; Klein and Uilenberg 1966: 53; Beaucournu and Fain 1983: 458, 460, 465; Beaucournu and Fontenille 1993: 79; Lewis 2006: 44: Marcus 1961: 190.

Remarks.

Although Araeopsylla is generally collected only in very small numbers across its range, Araeopsylla martialis is exceptional. Sixty-seven individual Mormopterus jugularis specimens yielded one or more specimens of Araeopsylla martialis . These were collected in three provinces of Madagascar (Fianarantosa, Toamasina, and Toliara). A total of 158 (64♂, 94♀) specimens were harvested from the 67 specimens of Mormopterus jugularis, yielding a flea intensity of 2.4. One male specimen of Araeopsylla martialis was collected from Rousettus madagascarensis . Other species of bats did not harbor Araeopsylla martialis . Its occurrence on a Rousettus sp. is likely an accidental association.

Material examined

(BYUC). Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province: Fianarantsoa église FLM (21°27'32"S, 47°04'36"E), 1190 m, Mormopterus jugularis ♂, 18 XI 2004, FHR, 1♂, 1♀.